Celestial Human Diagram

Mishiro Ara adjusted his stance, and his aura surged, swelling like an incoming tide. But just a moment later, it receded like an ebbing tide, retracting until it was almost nonexistent.

It was as if his Domain and his entire spiritual presence had vanished.

If you couldn’t see the man standing there, you might doubt he existed at all.

He said, "Monarch Chen, this technique is called ’Rebirth Stealth.’ I have only just mastered it. It requires Divine Constant to power it during both offense and defense, so it can’t be sustained for long. Please be careful."

As he spoke, he raised his blade. In the time it took for a breeze to sweep across the mountaintop, he seemed to appear right in front of Chen Chuan, his blade descending without a sound.

This time, he no longer feared the clash of their blades.

He had determined from their spar that Chen Chuan had no intention of killing him. With that fear gone from his heart, he could finally fight with complete abandon.

Chen Chuan sensed his opponent’s earnestness—this was exactly what he wanted. His opponent’s presence felt ethereal and unpredictable, but it was impossible for him to completely erase his own existence.

He raised his blade, blocking his opponent’s with a loud CLANG.

Mishiro Ara’s words sounded deceptively humble, but the Power behind his blade was undeniably formidable. From this single exchange, Chen Chuan could tell it was no weaker than the Iron Demon’s at its peak. At the instant of contact, a current of Spiritual Power seeped in as well.

He had never felt anything like this when fighting Jian Chengsheng or any of his previous opponents. But after sparring with Hong Fu for so long, he instinctively used the Hollow Seal to meet the attack. If the Spiritual Power followed through, he could immediately retaliate.

Mishiro Ara was clearly experienced. His spirit made contact and instantly withdrew, never penetrating deeply. One strike missed, and a second immediately followed. He seemed to possess a unique technique that let him borrow momentum from the previous blow. His Saber Techniques flowed with no pause, growing faster and fiercer, surging like a raging tide.

After parrying several blows, Chen Chuan realized the technique was designed to build momentum. Not only was the Power in the blade accumulating, but the spiritual energy was also being held in reserve. Once it reached a certain point, it would all erupt at once. He couldn’t let his opponent continue building it up.

The next time their blades met, he drove his Mutated Organization, and the power in his Long Blade surged. Simultaneously, the force of the God-Shaking Hammer was channeled into the blade. At that instant of contact, Mishiro Ara unleashed his own hidden Spiritual Power.

Their spiritual powers violently collided. Chen Chuan felt a brilliant light burst forth from within his Heart Jade, while Mishiro Ara’s eyes blazed.

He could sense that his opponent’s Spiritual Power was undoubtedly stronger than his own; after all, he hadn’t been on this path for long. However, the Heart Jade he had forged through his training with Hong Fu held firm, unshaken by the assault.

Moreover, this was not just a contest of spirit but also a clash of physical force. The power behind his blade was clearly a cut above his opponent’s, and he successfully stifled Mishiro Ara’s tide-like Sword Stance.

Mishiro Ara’s body faltered, and the Mutated Organization within him was forced to neutralize the incoming Power. He then saw a flash of light as Chen Chuan’s own Sword Stance unfolded, completely unaffected by their clash.

He was in no position to block in time, but a sudden burst of Power erupted from within him, carrying him backward. He managed to steadily parry Chen Chuan’s follow-up strikes, not missing a single one.

He had just used the Langtao Hall’s Secret Transmission, the Tide-Viewing Technique. It allowed him to accumulate power and build momentum through both offense and defense. Each move stored a bit more energy until, at its peak, it would unleash a torrent like a raging tide. If an attack was impossible, however, that stored energy could be redirected into defense.

Now, after blocking seven consecutive strikes, the power he had accumulated was gradually depleting. His aura and strength began to fade, but he used the opportunity to steady himself and recover his posture.

Just then, however, he realized that Chen Chuan’s blade had accelerated even further, building on its already relentless assault. The attacks were now so fast they seemed to arrive in a flash.

Alarmed, he felt a surge of Essence Blood within him, boosting his speed and power to match the changes in his opponent’s Sword Stance.

In a true life-or-death battle, using such a move without quickly finding an opening would put him at a massive disadvantage. But this was just a spar, not a fight to win or lose. He didn’t mind the cost, as long as he could hold on for a moment and prolong the exchange.

The two engaged in a fierce, continuous exchange of attacks and defenses for several minutes. They shared a tacit understanding, never pushing the fight to a point of no return, instead keeping it within reasonable bounds.

While clashing and neutralizing each other’s Power, they also had to constantly probe and collide on the spiritual level.

This degree of observation, information processing, and analysis required intense concentration from both sides. An ordinary Fighter would never be able to keep up.

Chen Chuan could now clearly feel the immense advantage held by those who cultivated Spiritual Power. Under normal circumstances, someone who hadn’t taken that step couldn’t possibly withstand a single blow imbued with a master’s spiritual force.

Used properly, it was like using superior physical conditioning to overwhelm an opponent, capable of securing victory in a single move.

Mishiro Ara’s application of Spiritual Power was built on a solid foundation and utilized profound techniques. This was especially true in the realm of As I know God, where he no longer needed to contemplate advancing or retreating. He could simply follow the guidance of the divine within his heart to combat his foe.

’Several times, I’ve tried to empty my mind, using the Hollow Seal to lure his spirit in. But Mishiro Ara never took the bait. It’s probably not because he knows I have this technique. He must just be sensing the danger ahead of time, which is why he never pushes his spirit too deep.’

’An opponent like him is practically invincible until his Spiritual Power runs out, unless you can overwhelm him with superior physical conditioning like I can.’

After they had sparred for half an hour, Mishiro Ara suddenly took a step back, lowered his blade, and said loudly, "Monarch Chen, let’s stop. My Divine Constant and Essence Blood are nearly exhausted. I can’t go on much longer."

Chen Chuan smiled. Although Mishiro Ara claimed he couldn’t go on, his resonant voice told a different story—he still had strength in reserve. But at this point, unless they were fighting to the death, continuing would just be a battle of attrition. There was no need to go on.

He withdrew his blade and nodded. "Thank you for the lesson, Mr. Mishiro. I’ve learned a great deal."

Mishiro Ara bowed slightly. "You are too kind, Monarch Chen. Your magnanimity is unlike anything I have ever witnessed. It was truly my honor to face you."

He then spotted the Snow Monarch Blade’s Sword Scabbard lying by his feet. His expression grew solemn as he bent down, picked it up, and formally stepped forward to hand it back to Chen Chuan.

Chen Chuan took it and nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Mishiro."

Mishiro Ara bowed once more.

Chen Chuan sheathed his blade and looked around. They hadn’t been able to hold back much during the fight, yet the area showed little sign of damage.

Even though they hadn’t used their full strength, it was a testament to the sturdiness of the Mo Temple.

’Just demolishing a place like this would probably cost a fortune,’ Chen Chuan mused. ’And it’s so far from the city center, practically on the edge of town. No wonder no one has tried to repurpose it.’

’Still, it would be a good place to build a Fighting Hall for internal training and sparring.’

Mishiro Ara, having straightened his clothes and weapon, walked over. He gazed down the mountain and said, "My great-grandmother used to live here."

"She said people came here every day to worship. They didn’t truly believe in the deity, but they were willing to perform the ritual day after day for the sake of their families. Even after moving to the Outer Ocean, they kept the habit. The gods they prayed to were different, but the sentiment remained the same."

Chen Chuan nodded, but he detected an unusual note in Mishiro Ara’s tone. "Mr. Mishiro," he asked, "what is it? Have you seen gods in the Outer Ocean?"

"I’ve seen things that seemed supernatural." A reminiscent look appeared on Mishiro Ara’s face. "I learned later that it was likely some kind of mutated creature, possibly influenced by something from... the other side. It demanded the sacrifice of two children every month."

"I remember when I was six or seven, I went with the villagers to a sacrificial ritual. I saw the thing crawl out of the sea. It was like a great pool of wet mud, spreading to cover the entire beach. I began to hear and see all sorts of illusions..."

"Then I saw a flash of light from a blade, as if it tore the illusory world apart. When I opened my eyes again, an incredibly tall, imposing figure stood with his back to us, holding a long blade of astonishing length. The creature before him had already dissolved into a pool of corrosive sludge."

He closed his eyes for a moment. Even now, as a Fighter, the memory of that day—the gloomy clouds, the churning waves, the children’s piercing screams—still sent a chill down his spine.

The scene was a brand, seared deep into his very soul.

Then he heard Chen Chuan’s voice, pulling him from his thoughts. "How do you compare to the Feng He Hall Master now, Mr. Mishiro?"

"My master? I am still far from his equal."

Mishiro Ara answered honestly, "My master has already surpassed the Divine Self One realm. He is a master of the Sword Sect who has inherited the title of ’Museum Guardian.’"

"’Divine Self One’?"

Mishiro Ara explained, "It is a realm one level higher than As I know God. ’The divine is self, the self is divine.’ Body and spirit are one, free to act as one’s heart desires. Once that state is achieved, one embarks on the path of transcending all limits."

"The Secret Transmissions that follow are the true essence of Langtao Hall. Unfortunately, only the successive hall masters are qualified to learn them. I’m afraid I will never have the opportunity."

After hearing the explanation, Chen Chuan thought, ’So Divine Self One must be the true and perfect unification of spirit and body.’ And the Feng He Hall Master had surpassed even that realm. ’The title "Sword Sect" probably just means Fighting Master,’ he mused. ’After all, many places in the Outer Ocean still use old-fashioned terminology.’

’Only someone with that kind of status could prop up a powerful Fighting Hall.’

He said, "Today has been very fruitful, Mr. Mishiro. I’ll have to ask you for another lesson some other time."

Mishiro Ara bowed slightly. "I will be in Jibei Dao for some time yet. This spar with you has been immensely beneficial, Monarch Chen. Should you wish for another match, I am at your service anytime."

...

...